On February 20, 2020, NAFUSA member and former Georgia State Senator and federal prosecutor Ed Tarver announced he was running for the United States Senate from the State of Georgia. Tarver is running for the seat that was vacated by U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson.

“Georgia needs experienced, committed leadership in the United States Senate,” said Tarver. “As a Captain in the United States Army, I embraced the values of hard work and public service. That led me to serve my state as a senator and my country as a federal prosecutor appointed by President Barack Obama. In the Army, we were never asked if we were Conservatives or Liberals. It was about serving one nation.

“Today, Washington is broken. Too much emphasis is placed on one side winning and another side losing. Our values are under assault by those individuals who are willing to sacrifice the future of our nation for personal gain. I’m running for the U.S. Senate to restore decency to Washington, bring real leadership, and fight for our Georgia values – bipartisan criminal justice reform, fiscal responsibility, and access to quality health care. We can do so much better than we’re doing today. I’ve been fighting for Georgia for more than 20 years, and I am ready to keep that fight going.”

In announcing his candidacy, Tarver released this a 3 minute introductory video that is available by clicking here.

Tarver was born while his father served in the Army to parents who were natives of Blythe, Georgia. He is a graduate of Glenn Hills High and Augusta College (currently Augusta University in Augusta). After serving seven years in the United States Army, earning the rank of Captain, Tarver went on to graduate from the University of Georgia Law School. From 2005 to 2009, he represented August in the Georgia General Assembly before being appointed by President Barack Obama as a federal prosecutor for the Southern District of Georgia.

While a federal prosecutor, Tarver aggressively prosecuted sex traffickers and drug dealers. He identified individuals who committed fraud against Georgia taxpayers and returned more than $27 million to Georgians who were victims of a prescription drug scheme. Recognizing the need to reform the nation’s criminal justice system, Tarver worked with community leaders to identify solutions to long term incarceration for non-violent and drug addicted criminals.

In the U.S. Senate, Tarver pledges to fight to provide adequate health care for Georgians, reduce poverty, fight social injustice, and promote bipartisan criminal justice reform. Recognizing that agriculture is the lifeblood of Georgia’s economy, he’ll work to remove barriers for Georgia farmers, while fighting for a cleaner environment.